Sundown's Sunrise
by NCR Ranger
Summary: There's a reason ukulele notes being playing in your head when you think of beaches. Even ODSTs and ONI operatives aren't resistant to its effects


Azure Horizon Resort

Colony of Sundown

Febuary 12th, 2553

Local clock: 7:00am

* * *

There was certainly a_ fine_ view to enjoy this morning.

Eddie Buck had been an ODST for over 15 years, and in all that time, he couldn't remember landing/setting foot in any way on, a planet that looked as pretty as Sundown.

The _entire_ world's geopgragphy was at least 85% islands- and they weren't the unpleasant ones that were cold, deserted and covered in pine trees that enticed nobody but fishermen to come see. No, the islands of _Sundown_ were actually _nice. _They were gathered into tighly packed archipelagos that were dotted all over the planet's enourmous oceans, they were riddled and topped off with steep sided volcanic rock mountains, then blanketed with clingingly humid, dense tropical rainforests.

The cherry on top ? All of those islands were surrounded by, to quote the ancient ryhme ( who's origins nobody knew anymore ), " the deep blue sea ". Specifically, deep, _azure_ blue sea, which didn't harbor any vessels on it larger than sailboats and 40-ft power boats. Which made perfect sense, considering that all those postcard-ready islands, smack dab on that pretty ocean, were vacation/honeymoon/ lover's retreat magnets to a T.

Anyone going to said islands for those reasons could enjoy a view that simply put your problems out of their misery for at least an hour or so each morning- and evenings, too.

Actually, it could do that anytime, but the mornings and evenings were especially eyebrow-raising. The tilted axis of Sundowm was to thank; it caused the sky to turn the color of a mango- all lovely burnt orange- right as the sun was coming up. Perfect companion to you and your signifigant other enjoying your continental breakfast in bed.

And then, for your dinner entertainment, there was an actual _Aurora Borealis_ for the evening. Unlike the ones back on Earth, though, the ones in the Sundown skies were bright _pink. _They had the green and blue as well, of course, but the _pink_ was something unique to Sundown. And there was no argument among anyone who saw it that it was even better than the original.

_All_ of Sundown's scenery was worth the price of admission, frankly. Even more so if you were a semi-cynical ODST sergeant who hadn't spent more than 2 weeks on a planet without getting plasma/hot lead shot at him for a least a full day.

Edward Buck was indeed such a man. Half of him still loved being a Helljumper, of course, and wanted to get back to the game. But, the rest of him was all to eager to take advangtage of the couple of weeks he had on vacation here. It was near impossible for him to remember when he'd last gone anywhere to _relax_, and nothing else.

20 years of service to the UNSC ? _Some_ R and R, _some_ amount of leave from riding in Pelican dropships o wasn't so bad. He'd be ready to get back to work after being on the sidelines for a while. The sunny, tropical sidelines, that is.

The spectacular view this morning, of the sun lighting up the hoizon with that hazy orange glow, was pretty high up on the list of reasons why.

Well, not _the_ most, exactly.

Propped up on one elbow, the ODST NCO blinked freshly awakened eyes, reaching up to rub sleep from them. The bed's covers- made of materials that UNSC bunks couldn't hope to compete with in terms of softness- were rumpled, but cool, which wasn't entirely unwelcome, as he focused on what actually had his attention- and it wasn't the sprawling ocean vista visable out the windows of the bungalow he'd spent the night in.

Leaning with forearms on the sill, and dressed in, well, not very much, to be honest, Veronica Dare stood with her toned back to Buck, watching the sunrise.

Her sand colored hair was out of its usal ponytail, and was instead bundled into a tidy, and also rather cute, bun.

_Ok-_ now_ I know I am awake_

He still needed a full mug of espresso to_ fully_ awaken ( lacking the jarring experience of getting thrown out of a cryo-tube, coughing up the vile fluids you had to injest to stay on ice ), but for the moment, what was in front of him would do nicely.

_Wow. The scenery is really is breathtaking_

Sitting a bit more up, letting the covers fall by his waist, Buck felt a corner of his mouth tug upward in a slight grin. Dare's cobalt-blue two-piece didn't leave much to the imagination- at least, a man's imagination. The blonde ONI agent was defintely _in_ great shape, and if Buck was honest with himself, had a great shape too.

_Its a good thing nobody can read my mind. Hey, there's nothing wrong with my line of thought; I've seen her shoot Covenant like a pro. I know she's got skills- and that makes it ok to admire her in her, ah, current state._

_Flimsy male logic, ho._

Although Buck considered himself a sophistated person, who didn't merely eye up women when he got half a chance, _this_ wasn't simply examining some chick strolling down the sidewalk in the glitzy downtown of New Dallas.

No, no no- this was _Veronica._

_ONI couldn't change _everything_ about her. _Buck let his gaze linger for a _quick_ moment or so on her ass.

A quick moment-

" Enjoying the view ? "

_Well, scrap metal._

Buck knew he'd been made now. Unsurprisingly, he didn't mind.

Mostly because, he knew _she_ didn't mind.

_Ah well. Might as well own up to it._

The ODST NCO shrugged. " You're too smart for your own good. "

" Buck, I am _ONI_. Hasn't that told you enough from day _1_, hun ? "

She turned around as she said it, leaning against the window sill again, and again, Buck found himself distracted momentarily.

It didn't matter that he'd seen her like this before; every instance made him stop and take notice, for at _least_ a few precious seconds.

_She does _not_ skip crossfit. God bless those abs_

Despite falling behind a bit ( not entirely his fauly, though ), Buck got back on track before getting prodded. " That's the thing: You're _ONI_. I don't get told enough, V. Its always mystery with you. "

" But isn't that fun ? ", Dare matched Buck's slight smirk with one of her own. " Relationships work best when there's _some_ give and take. "

The unspoken sentence, of course, being that when it came to ONI, there tending to be not at all a lot of giving from them. Buck knew that all to well; ONI had hijacked enough of his ODST ops back in the day. He knew what he was getting into when he'd decided that he couldn't let Veronica go, her status as an ONI operative be screwed.

_Worth it, though. She is worth it, as a sum total of everything she is. I know that makes _me_ crazy- probbably- but hey. I am an ODST- go big or or go home._

It was all about the destination, as much as the journey- when it came to ONI. When it came to Dare. And if ending up on _Sundown_ with her, in a resort bungalow, with an absoutley gorgeous sunrise to say hello to them ?

Buck was ok with that.

" Really ? What's the, well, _giving_ that's going on here ? "

" For one, _you_ could _get_ us something to eat. " Dare tilted her head toward the guest- call comm system on the King-sized bed. " I could go for some muffins, by the way. "

Buck glanced over at the intercom. A muffin sounded good right now, actually, but-

" Oh, you want pastries ? Well, ok then- after I kiss you first. "

It was fair enough, but Dare chuckled at it.

" Buck, you don't have to bargain with me for _that_ ! "

" Wow- and I thought getting anywhere near an ONI operative was a death sentence, or something. "

Rolling her eyes, but without any real annoyance, Dare pushed off the sill, and walked over to the bed. Sliding onto it, she eased up to Buck's side, gently took his chin in her hand, and proceeded to kiss him full on the mouth.

..._Damn_

The ODST's hand ended up on Dare's leg, fingertips brushing her thigh.

The moment lasted a few seconds at most, but it was a _well spent_ few seconds.

Slowly, Dare pulled back, and looked Buck in the eye.

Both of them were outright smiling now.

" Buck ", she murmured.

" Yes ? "

" You're _still_ going to get me my muffins. "


End file.
